Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) cover any organic compound that can volatilize in the air. The examples of the VOCs may include various organic solvents or compounds such as benzene, toluene, chloroform, 1,2-dichloroethane, hexane, heptane, octane, nonane, decane, dodecane, tetradecane, diesel, kerosene, acetone, ethylacetate, dimethyl formamide, dimethyl sulfone, formaldehyde, tetrahydrofuran (THF) or their derivatives.
Since the VOCs can have harmful effects on human or environment, they are classified as toxic substances of the atmosphere. Further, the VOCs can generate various secondary pollutants through photochemical reactions, and contain various carcinogens.
Because of the harmful effects of the VOCs, attention is focused on an adsorbent effectively adsorbing and removing the VOCs. Until now, some materials such as porous inorganic particles (e.g., active carbon, silica gel, alumina or zeolite), functional fibers, non-woven fabrics prepared from the functional fibers or electrospun fibers, or functional polymer film has been known as adsorbents of the VOCs [Composites Science and Technology, 2003, 63, 2223-2253; J. Biomater. Sci. Polym. Edu. 2006, 17, 1039-1056; Prospect of Industrial chemistry (Korea), 2010, 13(1), 32-50; J. KOSAE, 2006, 22(6), 743-757; Korean Chem. Eng. Res., 2006, 44(6), 669-675; KR patent publication No. 2010-0059031; KR patent publication No. 2006-0006368; KR patent publication No. 2009-0095725, and so on.].
However, most of the conventional adsorbents cannot show sufficient adsorbent property of the VOCs.